


Raising Clara Lestrange

by Gette



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Draco Malfoy, Auror Partners, Books, Bookstores, Briefly mentions torture and verbal abuse (no details- very general), Child Neglect, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Hogsmeade, Love, Parenthood, Raising a Child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:09:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24517456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gette/pseuds/Gette
Summary: After an incident in the Auror's office leaves Hermione seeking a quieter life, she starts a bookstore in Hogsmeade. A year later that calm new life shatters when her old Auror partner, Draco Malfoy owls her with a request. Rabastan Lestrange has been arrested and a little girl has been rescued but needs a safe place to live until Rodulphus is captured. Together Hermione and Draco fight to keep the girl safe.
Relationships: Andromeda Black Tonks/Ted Tonks, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 68
Kudos: 270





	1. Chapter 1

Hogsmeade was a small town of only 2,000 permanent residents. Around 95% of the time it was just like any other quaint small town, albeit one with a well developed main street, but on a few weekends a year students would be unleashed on the town and it would transform. The silent streets would echo with laughter, teens would date, kids would buy copious amounts of candy, and the shops and restaurants would fill up with young customers.

Most of the buildings on the main street had small flats above the stores in which the proprietors and their families lived, but there were many other houses further into the town and a few homes that were slightly outside of the city limits. One of the more recent residents of Hogsmeade was a well-liked young woman with curly brown hair and excellent book recommendations.

After 1 year in London working for the Ministry in the Auror department trying to track down death eaters, Hermione had found herself backed into an alley by Walden McNair and panicked. She shot off a killing curse for the first time and McNair had dropped dead. His face still locked in a grin that would never leave Hermione’s nightmares. Hermione fell to the ground devastated at casting an unforgivable and that’s when her new auror partner, Draco Malfoy had turned the corner looking for her. No doubt he had seen the telltale green light. He was out of breath and eyes looked wild as he took a second to realize that Hermione was still alive. Draco stepped over McNair’s body and reached out to grab Hermione’s arm as she sobbed. When she didn’t seem as though she was going to move, he picked her up and brought her to St. Mungos where she was quickly discharged after a calming draught. The next day, Hermione resigned. 

After a few months in Australia trying to get to know her parents in their new identities and failing to gain their trust, Hermione had decided to take on a less stressful lifestyle. She had done enough and helped take down Voldemort and many of her followers. A few days after she returned and crashed on Ginny’s couch, an owl dropped off a letter for her from Draco Malfoy.

Granger,

Welcome back to the U.K. I know your nose is always in a book so I wanted to let you know of an old shop that just went on the market. It’s next to Honeydukes, which could be a good spot for a bookstore. Looks like it’s 25,000 galleons and includes a flat above it. Didn’t you receive an award with 40,000 galleons for helping win the war?

-DLM

Hermione rolled her eyes but throughout that morning his letter was in her mind and it started to seem like a really good idea. Hogsmeade was just quiet enough to get some peace but also a place that she was familiar with and had many good memories. She could be safe there and she could help other students have a safe spot to visit at Hogsmeade.  
Hermione apparated to Hogsmeade later that day and laid her eyes on a two-story brick building near the three broomsticks. It was dusty and small with large shop windows. At the back of the shop, there was another door leading to a staircase. At the top of the staircase, Hermione found herself in a sunlit apartment with a beautiful set of windows overlooking the town. The first room was large and included the kitchen as well as the living space. As she walked to the small hallway behind the living room she found a spacious bathroom and two small bedrooms. Hermione walked over to the windows and looked down onto the street. An old couple walked by eating sweets from Honeydukes as a kid rode a muggle bicycle down the street. Hermione smiled and put in an offer. 

Hermione stood in front of her shop “Books & Bobs” and smiled as Daphne Greengrass took her picture for the Daily Prophet to celebrate one year since she had opened the shop. 

“Okay, next up grab a favorite book and lean against the door frame” Daphne instructed.

Hermione laughed and grabbed “Fair Weather” by Richard Peck.

“Perfect! I think we are all done with the picture part! Where would you like to do the rest of the interview?” Daphne asked.

“Come on in to the shop, I’ll show you around and we can sit at one of the reading tables,” Hermione said with a proud smile as she led her former classmate in through the red door and into a colorful room almost completely surrounded by floor to ceiling bookshelves with all types of books. In the front corner, there were smaller bookshelves creating a little children’s area with picture books, puzzles and stuffed animals for sale. The window had a plush cushion on it in case someone wanted to sit in the window and read.

As they walked further into the shop, they passed sections titled “Magical Fiction”, “Muggle Fiction”, “Muggle Non-Fiction”, “Magical Non-Fiction”, “Self-Help Books”, “Teen Books” filled with books organized perfectly on the shelves. At the back of the shop was a purple sign titled “The Reading Zone” and underneath the sign was an area with four bean bags and two tables for people to sit down and read at. 

“Have a seat, Daphne. Would you like some tea?” Hermione asked as they reached the table.

“Oh no thank you. Thanks for offering” Daphne responded as they sat down. 

“Tell me about the shop. What makes Books and Bobs unique?” Daphne asked pulling out a quill and scroll.

“I created Books and Bobs as a place where Hogwarts students and the Hogsmeade community could come together and buy both magical and muggle books and gifts. Books have always had a soft spot in my heart and I love the places that books can take us. As a muggle-born, I often felt like I was either in the magical world or in the muggle world. I want this to be a place where muggle-borns and those curious about muggle culture can feel at home. I’ve added these tables and bean bags back here so that people can choose to come in and just relax outside of their normal routine. I welcome everyone”. Hermione finished. 

“What’s one of the best things about owning your own shop?” Daphne followed up.

“That’s a hard question. I really love seeing the faces of happy customers and interacting with the community but another interesting perk is that I’m able to set my own hours. There is a lot of great independence in that”. Hermione replied.

The rest of the interview went similarly and Daphne left to write up the story for the Daily Prophet. It was now 5:00 PM on a Sunday so Hermione locked the door and switched the open sign to closed. She pulled the blinds on the windows, and reset the wards before heading up to her flat. Ginny had helped her decorate both the downstairs and the upstairs and Hemione was so grateful. It looked even better now that there was some artwork and throw blankets and a deep purple rug in front of a cozy light gray couch. Hemione even rigged it up to be able to have a working TV and DVD player. 

She smiled and laid down on the couch before grabbing a book from the coffee table and turning on a reading lamp at the side of the table. Hermione read late into the night until her eyes closed and the book slipped from her hand. It was close to 4:00 AM when a pecking noise woke her with a start from her slumber. A familiar-looking regal bird was waiting for her with a letter in its beak. Hermione’s stomach churned with worry as she rushed to the window to let the bird in. She unfolded the letter and read:

Granger,

I have a favor to ask you. Some things went sideways during a death eater capture and we need a safe house for a small girl. She’s malnourished but otherwise healthy. We need someone that would be unexpected and have access to heavy warding to take her in. I’d bring her home with me until the situation blows over but we think her father saw me pick her up right before we arrested her uncle. Even if it’s just for a short time… please consider. Owl me back as soon as possible.

-D.M.

Hermione rushed to her bedroom to pull out a piece of paper and a quill from her desk. Her hands were shaking as she replied back the ink blotting as she pressed too hard.

Malfoy,

I’ll take her in. I’ll open the store floo from 4:15-4:20.

-Granger.

She ran downstairs, still in her work outfit. A kid needed her. She could do this.


	2. Chapter 2

4 hours prior.

It was just after midnight and Draco motioned for Ron to keep up, they were almost to the area that the trace signal had come from.The redhead had been Draco's last choice for a partner after Hermione had quit, but no one had asked his opinion and thus there they were together in a dark alley searching for traces of childhood magic. Donegal, Ireland was a small humble town but Draco doubted his uncle or his uncle's brother had chosen the location for anything other than its seclusion. It was easier for the Lestrange brothers to remain hidden if there weren't many magical people around to notice them.

Ron silently said the incantation to show the trace. A small house with broken shutters and peeling paint across the street lit up. Draco and Ron looked at eachother and quickened their pace.

Draco remembered Andromeda's letter which had set off this mission.

Dear Draco,

I know that we do not know each other well but I came across something strange when looking through a black family genealogy book. I normally don't look at such things but I wanted to tell my grandson Teddy about some of his distant family members. For every birth or death the book automatically updates. I was shocked to find that Bellatrix and Rodulphus had a secret child named Clara Lestrange. She is four years old. I wonder if you find Clara with the trace if you will find Rodolphus and Rabastan. My stomach churns thinking that they are still out there. I fear for the child. Both men are terrible and deserve the dementor's kiss.

-Andromeda Tonks

"Homneum Revelio" Draco whispered pointing his wand at the door. The name Clara Lestrange shimmered in the air. They had left a four year old home alone.

Ron and Draco called for back up and then entered the house. The home was dingy with an odor of mold that threatened to suffocate the room.

In a back bedroom lay a small child in a dirty t-shirt and shorts. Clara, draco thought as he reached down to wake her. She was breathing and looked relatively healthy. Draco tried to wake her again.

"Those idiots gave her a sleeping potion so they wouldn't have to watch her" Ron snarled at Dracos side pointing to a coffee table with a sleeping draught on it.

"Change of plans, we need to get her out of here before her father and uncle get back. Once she's safe we'll come back." Draco said, picking up the child as she continued to sleep.

They reached the front door when all hell broke loose. The auror backups and the Lestrange men had shown up at the same time. Outnumbered, Rabastan was quickly captured, but Rodulphus moved farther down the road dodging spells. He looked over at the house and apparated away just as Draco walked out the door carrying his slumbering daughter. It was hard to tell if he had seen Draco. There was so much chaos as Rabastan screamed and thrashed under a binding spell.

Draco separated from Ron quickly, and apparated to the aurors office. Still holding clara, he sat down with the head of the department, Kingsley Shacklebot to create an action plan for the girls immediate safety. He had stayed late with the hope that the child would be retrieved. Kingsley was one of the only people in the ministry authorized to make emergency guardianship arrangements. Draco took off his cloak from the office coat rack and wrapped Clara in it to keep her warm in the cool office. It was August but the ministry was always much colder than the outside air. Mediwitches were called in to assess the child and they confirmed that she was malnourished and under a sleeping potion but otherwise healthy. She was smaller than most four year olds and would need vitamins. They handed a few bottles to Draco. Draco looked at the girls curly brown hair and chose to see a resemblance to a woman he favored much more than his deceased aunt Bellatrix.

When asked who could keep her safe until Rodulphus was caught Draco replied, "Hermione Granger".

Kingsley agreed and Draco wrote her a letter. When she responded he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione ran a hand over her hair, trying to smooth it down and make herself look presentable. Her hair was tangled from sleep and she realized too late that she was barefoot. She glanced at the large clock on the wall behind the counter. It was time. Draco was always punctual.

Hermione whispered the incantation to open the shops floo and flames danced to life in the fireplace. Her heart sped up as a handsome blonde young man in under cover muggle streetwear walked through the fire place holding what Hermione could only assume was the child. Just a pair of bare feet and the top of some brown curly hair could be seen as Draco's auror cloak was wrapped tight around the child.

Hermione closed the floo and the shop became too dark.

"Lumos" Hermione whispered. The light flickered and cast shadows on Draco's pale face. 

"Granger" he said in greeting taking in her appearance. Serious at first and a fleeting smirk when he looked in the direction of her hair. Hermione patted her hair down some more and his smirk grew. He adjusted the child in his arms. 

"Welcome Draco. Is the child alright?" Hermione asked, panicking, wondering how a child could sleep through a ride in the floo.

"She's fine Granger but she's ingested a large amount of sleeping draught so she should sleep until morning" Draco replied frowning at the idea that the child would wake up scared and in a new location with strangers. Perhaps he could talk Hermione into letting him stay over to make sure things went smoothly.

"A sleeping potion on such a young child! That's so dangerous!" Hermione exclaimed in indignation.

"Please come upstairs to my flat and we can have tea and get her settled" she added gesturing towards the door leading to the stairs.

Draco began testing the wards and adding new ones as Hermione closed the floo. No one would be able to come in or call once the floo was closed and even on a normal night, Hermione preffered to always have her floo closed. When both had completed their security measures, Draco nodded indicating that it was time to proceed. The joint maneuver reminding Hermione of their partnership as aurors. Steely at first and then cordial and well coordinated. They had been a machine. In tune with the others next move but never particularly well versed with expressing feelings. 

"I live upstairs and I own the shop downstairs." Hermione said as she held the door open for him to begin the climb upstairs. As he passed, Hermione caught sight of the little girl's angelic round face and rosy cheeks. Her brown curls weren't tight and looked a little less wayward than Hermione's. She looked familiar. Hermione wondered who her parents were. 

"I know, I sent you the information for this building, remember?" Draco laughed as Hermione reddened.

"Oh, right…" Hermione stated embarrassed.

"I'm glad you took my advice. I knew you would be great at owning your own bookstore" Draco stated his face not visible but his tone even as he reached the top of the stairs and walked over to the couch.

"Thanks. It was good advice" she mumbled.

Hermione watched transfixed as he carefully slipped the little girl out of his arms and onto the couch without the auror robe. The little girl lay in pale pink shorts and a black tshirt. The clothes appeared to be slightly too big and worn. Draco took his cloak and laid it over the girl, covering her from her chest to her toes in black ministry apperal.

Hermione walked forward and sat beside the small girl. She ignored Dracos watchful gaze and pushed the girl's hair back before casting a few diagnostic spells on the little one. Nothing came back negative.

Draco sat down in the arm chair adjacent to the couch. He looked exhausted.

He sighed. "I think she's been neglected. She's slightly malnourished, and under a sleeping potion but she's otherwise healthy. Mediwitches came to Kingsley's office and did a thorough examination". He ran hand through his hair in a way he only did when he was really stressed.

Hermione looked back at the pretty child and then back at the man who had brought her to safety.

"Malfoy…" she hedged carefully "You said she was a death eaters child. She looks familiar to me. Who's child is she?"

Draco glanced down at his navy muggle cardigan and fingered the wooden button near the center if his chest. A nervous tick that could only be brought on by telling Hermione Granger something she wouldn't wish to hear. His gray eyes snapped up to meet her hazel eyes. 

"Hermione meet Clara Lestrange. She's the daughter of Rudolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange. I believe shes been raised almost entirely in a small town in Ireland by her father and uncle. She's four years old and my cousin. I found out she existed yesterday." Draco said. She was his family.

Hermione sucked in a breath and the resemblance clicked into place like a twisted puzzle piece. Bellatrix. Hermione flashed back to that terrible night as Bellatrix held her down and carved into her arm as she sobbed and begged her to stop. The man across the room had been a pale teen silently gasping for breath in the corner as his mom held his arm.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked concern lacing his words at the sight of her pained expression.

Hermione took a deep breath. Bellatrix was dead. She would focus on the fact that the little child was Draco's cousin and completely innocent. 

"Tell me everything about what happened tonight with Clara." Hermione demanded.

Draco began telling her about the case and the night's events as Hermione grabbed a throw blanket and tucked it around the girl she would keep safe. Draco's cloak sandwiched in between.

By the end of the retelling, Clara began to move around. She was waking up.

Clara's dark eyes fluttered open and upon seeing the two strangers she began to cry.


	4. Chapter 4

Clara’s scared cries filled the air as tears slipped down her rosy cheeks. Hermione smiled at the girl in what she hoped was reassuring.

“It’s okay. You're safe with us. You are going to be okay” Hermione cooed facing the little girl at the end of the couch. 

Draco looked stricken at the sound of the child’s sobs and he worked to make himself look less threatening and get down on her level. He moved from the armchair to sit cross-legged on the floor a few feet away from the girl on the couch. Hermione looked over at him as he sat in his jeans and trainers on her floor in front of the child and her heart sped up seeing him in muggle clothing sitting on the floor. All of his pureblood etiquette and pretenses had been tossed aside for the greater good of this child. She was glad he was here. 

“Clara. My name is Draco and this is my friend Hermione. Hermione is going to be taking care of you for a while instead of your Dad and Uncle. I’ll be around to check in on you too.” he said gesturing at her with a forced smile. 

Hermione ignored the sound of her given name on his lips. He had only used it a couple of times prior and it sounded intimate coming from him. Clara’s tears began to slow as she looked between the blonde man in muggle clothes and the barefoot woman with wild hair next to her. She reached up and wiped her eyes.

“I’m glad that you are here Clara and I am excited to get to know you,” Hermione added unsure of what to say. Clara looked at her with tear-stained cheeks and hiccuped. 

“Are you hungry?” Hermione asked. Clara nodded quickly. 

“Would you like some eggs and toast, Clara?” Hermione followed up. Again the little girl nodded.

“How about you, Draco? Would you like to stay for eggs and toast?” Hermione asked, hoping he saw how much she wanted him to stay.

Reading her desperation and not wanting to leave, Draco replied. “Yes, that would be lovely Granger”. He looked between the two brown haired females and added, “Should I get us some glasses of water?”

“Yes, please” Hermione responded gratefully.

Hermione walked to the kitchen appliances on the opposite wall and started making enough eggs and toast for all three of them, letting her magic do some of the work as her mind spun thinking about how to make the little girl more comfortable. A book perhaps, a cartoon on the tele, a hug, maybe she would like one of the stuffed animals from downstairs? Breakfast first she reminded herself firmly. This girl had possibly not been eating regularly and needed some nourishment.

Hermione felt Draco look in the cabinets until he found the glasses. “Augmenti” he whispered ignoring the sink. All three glasses filled up slowly with water.

He walked over to the small round wooden table with two chairs near the windows and placed the glasses down. Hermione noticed him looking at the lack of chairs and felt her face burn. She quickly transfigured a kitchen stool that she used to reach high things into a chair and passed it to Draco with a short, “Here”.

“Thanks” He smiled at her and turned back to the little girl who was watching them in earnest and looking much less scared.

“Clara. Would you like to come and sit at the table? The water is on the table and your food will be ready shortly. I’ll wash your hands with magic so that you are all clean!” He said with a smile pulling out a chair.

Clara nodded and slowly untangled herself from the nest of Draco’s robe and Hermione’s blanket on the plush couch. She stood up, wiped her face again, and came to stand next to Draco looking shy. 

“Can I see your hands?” Draco asked remembering how dirty she had been before he had cast a quick scourgify at the ministry. It had helped but she really needed a bath. Her hands could still be dirty and the last thing that the little girl needed was to get sick from eating with dirty hands. 

Clara held out her hands and Draco whispered “Scourgify” and watched as her hands became cleaner. Clara looked at them and smiled sitting down in the chair nearest the window.

Hermione looked over at Clara and was so relieved that she seemed less stressed. Draco came back into the kitchen.

“Can I help with anything?” he asked.

The eggs were almost down and the toast was ready. “Could you please grab three plates and forks?” she asked, gesturing to the cabinet and drawer that held them. 

“Yes, of course,” he said. She had porcelain white plates and plastic polka dot plates. Draco picked the plastic plates with a smile. He had never owned plastic plates when he lived in the Manor. Everything back then had to be perfect but in his flat in London, one of his first acts of rebellion had been to buy plastic plates. He was quite the rebel.

Hermione dished up the eggs onto the plates and then divided the toast and together with Draco brought them to the table. Draco sat on one side of Clara and Hermione sat on the other. 

“Go ahead, eat up!” Hermione said grabbing a piece of toast and taking a bite as though to demonstrate to Clara that the food was safe.

Draco had a bite of the eggs, “Yum, this is delicious” he said with an exaggerated smile. Clara looked between the two of them as they put on a show of eating the food and drinking the water. She slowly began to eat with a hesitant smile. 

Draco and Hermione’s eyes connected as they both internally celebrated this victory. Clara drank some water and then continued eating looking satisfied.

Hermione watched the girl and began to worry. She hadn’t spoken yet and had only nodded. “Clara” she prompted, “When did you last eat?” 

Clara looked up at her. “A couple days ago. I had some food”. Clara responded with a smile.

Hermione's relief at hearing her speak was drowned out by the concern she had over the girl's admittance to how little she had been fed. A tear rolled down Hermione’s cheek as the little girl continued to focus on her food. Draco looked concerned and reached over slowly to place his hand over Hermione’s in what he hoped was a reassuring move. He would add this information to the auror report. His touch startled Hermione and she drew her hand back, wiping the tear away. Now was not the time. She needed to be strong for Clara.

“Clara, you are doing a great job eating up all that food!” Hermione praised her. 

“Do you like it? Should we have again later this week?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, it’s really good” the child responded, her plate clean. She looked up at them.

“I think it might be a good idea for us to give you to take a shower and then for us to go shopping for some fresh clothes. Does that sound okay to you” Hermione asked Clara.

She nodded.

“Great idea Hermione” Draco piped in. “Perhaps I could run out and fetch a bed for Clara while she is in the shower and then if you would like, I would be happy to join you both for some shopping in muggle Edinburgh. A guy has got to shop” he joked and Clara giggled. Draco smiled proudly.

“That sounds excellent Draco, Thank you. Just open and close the floo on the way out. I’ll adjust the wards so that you can come and go as you please and so that you have control over letting yourself in the floo” Hermione responded. She quickly made the changes to the wards.

If Draco was surprised that she was willing to allow him to be part of the wards, he hid it well. “Okay I’ll be back soon” he intoned as he started down the steps.

Clara grabbed Hermione’s hand, surprising the older witch. Hermione squeezed the girl's hand and then said “Let me show you were the bathroom and your room are!” Hermione pointed out her own room to the girl and then showed her the restroom where the girl stopped for a potty break. When she was done and washed her hands in the sink, Hermione walked her to the last room which was currently a study filled with books and a desk.

“This will be your bedroom. We will change it up to be whatever color you would like.” Hermione said looking at the mousy little girl next to her. 

“Pink” Clara responded hopefully.

“Great choice! We will make it pink!” Hermione exclaimed making her voice sound like she was singing. Clara giggled and Hermione felt proud that it wasn’t just Draco that could make her laugh.

The pair moved back to the bathroom and Hermione turned on the shower and waited until the temperature was just slightly warmer than the air. It was summer and she didn’t want the child to be too hot. 

“Okay, time for a shower. Go ahead and take off your clothes and then step in. I have a bar of soap in there and some really nice smelling shampoo and conditioner! The shampoo smells like strawberries!” You can use the soap and I’ll help you with your hair” Hermione smiled.

The girl nodded and undressed before stepping hesitantly into the water before her face broke into a smile. Hermione helped her get all cleaned up and the girl was happy to be clean. At one point Hermione used the shampoo to suds Clara’s hair up into an alfalfa spike on top of her head and the little girl laughed and laughed. Hermione laughed and washed out the hair as strawberry fragrance drifted around them.

When Clara was out of the shower she was wrapped in a large fluffy yellow towel while Hermione scourgify her clothes. They were just too worn to get truly clean. Clara put back on her cleaned clothes and then they moved to the living room. Hermione slipped on a pair of gold sandals and then took another pair of white sandals and shrunk them down to fit Clara’s feet. Clara sat in a chair looking at a children’s book about owls while Hermione slowly combed through all of the knots in the little girls hair remembering a time long ago when her own mom had done the same for her..

Draco returned to the domestic sight and his heart swelled. It was just so sweet. He levitated the bed into the living room. Hermione paused and showed him where to put the bed. They moved all of the books with magic to Hermione’s room and left the small desk in the corner for Clara. The bed was set up in no time and Draco pulled out his wand and stated "accio bedding".

Tie-dye bedding came flying into the room causing Hermione to duck. Draco laughed and flicked his wand causing the white single bed to be instantly made up with the bright colored sheets and comforter as well as a fluffy pillow. Hermione looked closer and she could see little pink snitches, purple broomsticks, and blue quaffles zooming around on the tie-dye comforter.

Hermione laughed, “Quidditch, really?”

“Of course, nothing but the best for Clara” Draco responded. 

Clara rounded the corner, her eyes wide in amazement. “For me?” she asked?

“For you,” Draco responded smiling down at her. 

Clara hugged him and then ran for the bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione focused on the color of the pink snitches and then cast a spell to make the walls the same shade of pink. Clara giggled with glee as she lay on her bed. 

“Do you have to open the shop today, Hermione? It’s almost 8:00 AM” Draco asked while Clara was watching the quidditch items flying around on her bedspread.

“No, Books and Bobs is only open Wednesday- Sundays in the summer. It’s a lot less busy in June than it can be during the school year. Today’s Monday so I am completely free today and tomorrow to spend time with Clara.” Hermione said, thinking about how this was going to work with her schedule for the first time.

“Are you planning to have Clara with you in the shop starting on Wednesday or will someone else be covering the store?” Draco asked.

Hermione hadn’t thought that far ahead. When Draco had asked her if she could hide Clara and keep her safe, she had known immediately that she would say yes. There hadn’t been any hesitation but that also meant that she hadn’t taken the time to carefully orchestrate how this would work.

“Well, I guess there are a few people who work part-time at Books and Bobs. I supposed that as long as the auror’s office thinks it’s safe, I will have Clara just hang out with me in the shop when I am working and I will schedule the part-time people to cover more of my shifts than normal.” Hermione answered finally.

“Yes, I think that should work. As long as you say that she’s your cousin's kid or something like that to any customers who ask. You could say that you are watching her for the summer while her parents are on Holiday. If there are any signs of Rodulphus realizing that she is with you or if anyone asks too many questions, you will need to shut down the shop for the day and take an emergency portkey to Malfoy Manor. It has the safest wards in all of the United Kingdom. I’ve already prepared the portkey and I will let my mother know that I have added you and Clara to the wards.”

“I agree with everything you are saying but I do not have any plans on returning to Malfoy Manor in this lifetime” Hermione huffed.

“Well let’s hope you don’t have to, Granger” Draco snapped back at her.

He placed a thimble wrapped in a silk handkerchief on the windowsill. The portkey and then started to walk out of the room his jaw clenched tight.

Hermione hated that he was dismissing her concerns. Why should she have to set foot in the Malfoy Manor with Bellatrix’s child. She shivered with anger.

“Is it safe for your mother, Bellatrix’ sister, to know that Clara is with me? Who knows if she is still in contact with her brother in law. She’s still on house arrest for a reason” Hermione spat back taking her pain out on the wrong person.

“I think I know my mother better than you, Granger! Contrary to popular opinion, she’s a kind woman and would never want to put a child in harm's way. She raised me. She is all I have left so please don’t talk ill about people you don’t even know”. He snapped venom in his voice as he turned back to face Hermione. 

As he stared into her eyes with a fire he hoped would show her how wrong she was, he noticed movement in the corner of the room. Clara had her face in a pillow while they argued. His heart sank and his anger dissipated. 

“Granger… let’s talk about this later” he said softly, tilting it head towards the little girl. 

Hermione looked over and saw Clara hiding form their fight. Her angry expression flipped to one of deep remorse. She walked to the bed and sat at the foot.

“Clara, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have raised my voice. Draco and I are fine. We won’t argue anymore” she whispered pulling the pillow away from Clara’s face.  
Clara looked at Draco in the doorway. “Yes, Clara. I’m sorry too. We will try not to use angry voices around you. I want you to know that you never have anything to fear from either of us. Hermione and I are good people. We will take care of you.” he said entering the room again.

“Okay” a little voice croaked.

“This is a cool comforter. Do you like quidditch” Hermione said, trying to distract the little girl. 

“I don’t know. I think so” Clara said. She paused and then said, “I like that they fly around”.

“Yes that is very fun, isn’t it?” Hermione agreed.

Hermione turned back to Draco. “I’m sorry Draco. I shouldn’t have said that about your mother.”

He nodded in acceptance.

“Do you have to go into the office today, Draco? I don’t want you to be late.” Hermione followed up.

“No, I actually have today off. I’m available to help get things for Clara if you would like but I don’t want to intrude if you would rather I leave.” Draco responded looking down.

“No! Please join us. I think that we need to get her some essential summer clothes and then a few hygiene essentials like a toothbrush and comb. I am worried though that it might look suspicious for me to buy her all of that in Hogsmeade if I am going to say her parents are on holiday. It will look like they didn’t pack her anything. Would you like to go to Muggle Edinburgh with me? I think we can get everything we need at CVS and H &M.” Hermione said.

“That sounds good. We should probably go now before it get’s too busy. Are you ready to go shopping Clara?” he asked the girl watching them from her new room.

“Yes!” she exclaimed.

\---

Five minutes later they had apparated to a safe apparition point a block away from the clothing store, H & M. It was busy for a Monday, and cars whizzed by on the street. Hermione grabbed one of Clara’s hands and Draco grabbed the other and together they walked into the store looking like a family.

Although it had been busy on the street, it was quiet in the store as it had only just opened a few minutes prior. Hermione walked up to a map of the store and saw that the children’s clothing was on the next level. She led Clara and by extension, Draco to the escalator.  
“No!” Draco yelled reaching towards her and catching only air, as Hermione stepped onto the moving steps. He let go of Clara’s hand as she stepped bravely onto the next step. The pair began to move farther and farther away from him. Draco looked at the tooth-like steps in horror. What was this? It was terrible.

Hermione picked Clara up and they stepped off on top. Draco still hadn’t gotten on the escalator. She laughed quietly as he scowled down below.

“Come up, just take one step and stand still until you get to the top. Then you just step off. It’s called an escalator and they're quite common in department stores” Hermione added hoping to calm his nerves. 

“Absolutely not, it’s a death trap.” he frowned. A few minutes later he was on the same floor as the girls. It had taken quite a bit of coaxing but a salesman had seen him panicking and eyeing him strangely, led him to an elevator in the back of the store.

The elevator had been more of Draco’s speed. The salesman had also provided Draco with a basket after he said they were going to be purchasing a lot of items.

Hermione smirked at him and then set Clara down on the ground. Clara reached for Hermione’s hand. 

“So how are we going to do this? Should we start with undergarments and then work our way through the store?” Hermione asked Draco.

“Sounds good to me. I see some socks over there.” 

Together they walked to the girls' section and Hermione grabbed a 10 pack of girls cotton briefs after studying the back of the packaging trying to make out the kid sizing. Then Draco had grabbed Clara some pink and white socks with lace at the top and placed them into the basket. Hermione grabbed a few more. Hermione herself was always loosing socks and it seemed fair to imagine that Clara would be no different.

Clara was bouncing with excitement. Her clothes looked even more worn and basic among rows and rows of fresh designs and cute new clothing.

“Okay, I think that’s enough for now. We don’t need any tights since it isn’t winter” Hermione said. 

“Should we have Clara pick out some tops?” Draco asked trying to be helpful and pointing to the next row which housed a bunch of brightly colored little girl tops,

“Excellent idea. Clara, let’s go to the next row and we will work to pick out some t-shirts”. 

“I can pick?” Clara asked excitedly.

“Yes, you may pick 5 tops. Try to pick some in different colors and then Draco and I will make sure that the tag reads the right size.”

“How do we know her size?” Draco asked Hermione as the little girl began studying the shirts.

“I think I remember something about four-year-olds often wearing a muggle size that lists their age and then a T. I think it should read 4T but we can hold it up in front of her or have her try it on if we are unsure,” Hermione told Draco.

“Sounds like a plan” Draco responded smiling. Clara was holding a pink shirt with little koalas all over it and was smiling.

“I want this shirt with the funny creatures!” Clara stated in glee, tipping up on her toes and back down again.

They checked the tag, found the right size, and put it in the cart. She also picked out a hot pink tank top with ruffles, a plain white t-shirt (which surprised them both greatly), a blue t-shirt with white rhino’s on it, and a light pink t-shirt with a sequin cat.

Next, a yellow butterfly dress, a pink sleeveless jersey dress with lemons on it, and a green short-sleeved and shorts romper with little white polka dots were added to the basket which was already quite full.

“All of the clothes are beautiful!” Clara sang as she looked over the edge of the basket Draco was holding.

“Well, we are happy to get it for you! You are going to look so nice in all of these new clothes!” Hermione crooned.

“What about denim jeans and shorts? Won’t she need those?” Draco asked the woman next to him. He had often admired the way Hermione looked in her jeans and he could now picture her downstairs, completely comfortable in a muggle store buying muggle things. Unlike him, she was confident in both worlds. He cringed thinking about the frightening staircase he had battled and lost against earlier. 

“Yes, I think I better pick out the bottoms to make sure that they match with her tops. Will you help her pick out warm weather pajamas or a nightgown?”

“We can do that. Can’t we Clara?” Draco replied, reaching out to take her hand. 

“Yes, I want a pink nightgown!” Clara responded.

“We will see what we can do. They probably have something pink!,” Draco said smiling and the two walked away towards the nightclothes.

Hermione found a pair of denim pants, navy pull-on shorts, soft black shorts, and pink leggings before grabbing a few glittery hair clips, some children’s ponytails, a pack of bows, and a hot pink headband. This was starting to get expensive but Hermione was great at saving money so she knew that she should have enough muggle money on her debit card to pay for all of this. They just needed a sweatshirt and some shoes.

Draco and Clara were happily strolling towards her as Clara held a light pink silk pajama short sleeve shirt and shorts set.

“Look what we got!” Clara exclaimed holding the pajamas up for Hermione to see.

Hermione reached out and touched them. “Oh how soft and in your favorite color! What a great choice!”

Clara beamed. 

Thirty minutes later, Clara was starting to seem overwhelmed so they quickly made her try on some shoes until she had a pair of pink trainers and a pair of yellow sandals.

As they moved toward the checkout Draco grabbed her a purple sweatshirt with a unicorn on it. The hair on the unicorn had a rainbow mane.

“Hermione” Draco whispered seriously, “How do the muggles know about unicorns and what’s going on with his hair?” 

Hermione laughed and gave him a playful nudge. “Unicorns are seen as a mythical creature in muggle folklore and they are very popular with little girls especially right now. Little kids like rainbows and so voila, a rainbow unicorn!”

“I love unicorns!” Clara piped up from between them. 

Well, that settled it. They would get the unicorn sweatshirt. Draco had surprised Hermione and pulled out a muggle debit card from a leather wallet and paid with ease. Hermione gawked at him and he waved off her protests to pay.

\---

Upon returning to the flat. Draco who had stayed up all night tracking Clara down and getting her settled, yawned and stretched his arms up. For a moment, Hermione caught a climpse of his pale stomach before his arms came back down to his sides and his clothing fell back into place. Light hair had trailed up from his waist band and Hermione averted her eyes.

“I best leave and get some rest but if you need anything just floo me or send me a letter. I’ll stop by the shop on Wednesday but I have to go into the office tomorrow and start doing some research about a certain man’s whereabouts. I'll be your auror contact for the case. Only Ron and Kingsley know that she's here” He said, not wanting to worry Clara who was now playing with a plush unicorn from downstairs that Hermione had given her on the way upstairs.

“Yes, of course. We will be fine. I will say she is my cousin's child and no one will be the wiser. Thanks for all of your help today. You were great with her. I never knew that you would be so good with Children, Malfoy. You will make an awesome father someday.” Hermione replied truthfully staring at the blonde man near her steps. A light blush bloomed on his pale face making him even more attractive than he normally was.

He cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“We forgot the toothpaste, toothbrush, and comb. I will have my owl deliver it tonight”. Draco said. Her words still rolling in his mind. His deepest fear was that he would be a terrible father like Lucius and hearing Hermione give him a compliment would have been enough to get his heart racing but to hear her tell him that he would make a good father, made him contemplate a risky response like telling her she would make a wonderful mother or imply that he would be overjoyed to have children with someone as wonderful as her. No, it was better to make a quick exit while they were still on a good note. 

“That would be great. Thanks, Draco." Hermione responded interrupting his internal monologue.

“No problem. Bye Hermione, bye Clara” Draco called starting down the stairs in a quick escape.

“Bye!” two voices called as Hermione settled in to lay on the couch as the little girl played on the purple rug.


	6. Chapter 6

After Draco left, Hermione turned on the television and let the news play in the background as she took the clothes out of the bags and carefully folded each piece. 

Clara hummed quietly as the unicorn danced around the living room. Hermione smiled and then walked back to Clara’s new bedroom. Hermione stared at the desk and then trasfigured it into a dresser. 

“Clara” Hermione called coming back to the living room.

“Let’s work on putting away all of your new clothes in your room and you can pick out a fresh outfit to wear for the rest of the day”.

Clara nodded and ran to the room as Hermione levitated the clothing to the little girl’s bed.

“I have a lot of clothes!” Clara said smiling at the pile of folded clothes.

“Yes, you do! What do you want to wear today?” Hermione asked.

“I want to wear the pink dress and wear a hair clip” Clara said holding a glittery pack of hair clips in awe. 

Hermione reached out and handed the pink dress with lemons on it and handed it to the brown haired child and gave her a new pair of underwear and socks. “Clara, why don’t you put on all fresh clothing. Put on this pile and then we can include the clothes you are wearing now into the laundry for tomorrow”.

Clara changed quickly as Hermione put away all of the clothing in the drawers. 

“Are we going on Holiday?” Clara asked, her dark eyes looked up at Hermione wide and hopeful from where she stood in her new dress and white ruffle socks. Her brown hair wild and down the middle of her back.

“Going on Holiday? No, we are going to stay here and maybe go on a walk around town. Why do you think we are going on Holiday Clara?” Hermione asked confused at where the question had come from.

“Oh. Father always bought me a new outfit when we would go on holiday otherwise I would just wear my shorts and t-shirt. I never get new clothes unless we go on Holiday to visit Ms. Didi. She’s nice. When I visit Ms. Didi my father says I must dress nice and act like a good pureblood girl. Him and Uncle send me to her when they have things to do and Ms. Didi is nice. She gives me hugs and lets me eat cake. I don’t get to get cake at home.” Clara told Hermione. 

Hermione stared at Clara. This was the most Clara had said at one time since she had arrived at Hermione’s flat early this morning and now they were only a few hours in and Clara was telling her about her life. Hermione mulled over her words. 

“Tell me about Ms. Didi” Hermione said deciding to find out as much information as she can so that she could tell Draco. 

Clara smiled, “Ms. Didi is friends with my uncle, Rabastan. She is a pureblood and she lives in a pretty city where people speak another language.”

“She lives in another country? Where does she live?” Hermione asked her mind trying to piece things back together.

“I don’t know. We just go straight to her house and then sometimes we walk around outside in the streets together. She gives me lots of treats and I always cry when we have to leave. She is nice but her husband is mean! He is almost yelling like father!” Clara declared with obvious distaste for yelling men.

“When you walk around outside with Ms. Didi, what do you see?” Hermione responded.

Clara seemed bored of the conversation and walked over to her new sneakers and started trying to pull them on. She hadn’t untied the bow and was struggling. She sat down on the floor. “Help me?” she asked holding out a pink shoe towards Hermione. 

Hermione sighed and let the conversation drop. She helped Clara put the sneakers on and tied the shoes tight. Next, Hermione pulled Clara’s hair back into a braid and put a pink sparkly clip in her wavy hair to hold back a wisp that threatened to escape. Clara was overjoyed. She looked angelic with her dark hair and eyes and her round red cheeks. 

Hermione realized that she was still wearing her same clothing from yesterday and she changed into a t-shirt and jeans. 

Clara continued to play with her stuffed unicorn for a while as Hermione grabbed a basket from her front closet to put all of Clara’s hair accessories in. Once that basket was next to the dresser in Clara’s room, Hermione noticed that something was sorely missing from Clara’s room. Books.

“Clara.” Hermione interrupted the girls play, “Let’s go down to the bookstore that I own below us and pick out a couple of books for you. Would you like that?”

“Yes, I… I… I” Clara stuttered in excitement tripping over her words “I had a book at my house. Ms. Didi gave it to me!”

“You did?” Hermione asked, her interest piqued. “What was it called?”

“Chrysanthemum!” the little girl chirped excitedly!“It’s about a little mouse girl who doesn’t like her name because it’s too long but then she actually ends up liking it!”

Hermione was shocked. Chrysanthemum was a well loved muggle children’s book by Kevin Henkes. She had it in her store. She wasn’t surprised that Clara would like the book but the idea that the daughter of a notorious death eater had been in proximity to and been allowed to keep a muggle book was hard to fathom.

“I have that book and I also love it. Let’s go downstairs and get it.” Hermione responded not wanting the child to notice that she was now more than ever, confused about who Ms. Didi could be.

Clara followed Hermione down the stairs and into the darkened shop. The older witch turned the lights on and Clara leaped onto a bean bag. The pair spent a great deal of the afternoon down in the bookshop as Hermione started curating a stack of books for Clara and Clara alternated between jumping on the bean bags and rearranging all of the stuffed animals in the children’s section.

Hermione settled on a stack of eight books for Clara:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown  
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by Rowling JK  
Sophie Johnson, Unicorn Expert by Morag Hood  
My Footprints by Bao Phi  
Do You see a Mouse? by Bernard Weber  
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans  
Hogwarts in Miniature by Eleanor Nott  
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes  
There were so many more that Hermione would have liked to buy her but she didn’t know how long Clara would be with her so it was good to stick to the basics. Hermione felt a growing excitement at the idea of being able to read to Clara at night and hear her reactions to all of these cute stories! Hermione had often found this new chapter of her life at Books and Bobs, peaceful but bordering on too quiet. Right now, Clara was adding a lot more interest to her day off. 

Clara and Hermione went on a walk around the town, holding hands and talking about all of the buildings. Everything seemed to interest Clara. Eventually, they went home and ate some dinner. Once again, Clara’s appetite was very good. She ate all of her macaroni and cheese and most of an apple before yawning. 

Hermione stretched and yawned back. 

“That was a busy day Clara! I think we better start brushing our teeth and putting on our pajamas and then we can read a book together before bed” she suggested, exhausted and ignoring that it was only 7:00 PM.

“Yes, I can wear my pajamas!” Clara shouted excitedly as she ran to get changed into her silk sleepwear. 

Hermione changed into her own floral pajama pants and a soft purple sleep shirt before grabbing that little pink glittery toothbrush and kids crest toothpaste Draco’s owl had delivered earlier in the day.

Upon reaching Clara’s room she found Clara in her ruffle socks and the pink pajama shorts, struggling to tie the bottom pink drawstring. Hermione vowed to teach her another day but today was not that day. Hermione smiled at the determined little girl.

“Here, let me help you with that.” she said and reached over tying the drawstrings into a bow,

“Thank you” Clara said as she wrestled on her matching pink top.

Hermione led her to the bathroom and gave her the toothpaste and toothbrush and guided her through the process. Hermione then brushed her own teeth as Clara ran to grab her unicorn from the other room. 

“Okay, Clara. I think it’s time for you to tuck into your new bed. I’ll sit next to you and we can read a book.”

Clara and Hermione ran, and walked, respectively, into the pink room. Clara nestled herself in the blankets and Hermione came and sat on the bed with her, turning off the main lights and turning on the desk lamp with her wand.  
“Accio “Do you see a Mouse” Hermione said and her favorite childhood book was at her fingertips. It’s green cover so familiar and Hermione smiled. Clara was looking at the book with excitement.

“This was one of my favorite books when I was little” Hermione said. She pointed to the cover where a little mouse hid behind a bouquet of flowers.

“What type of Animal is this, Clara?”

“It’s a mouse!” Clara responded.

“Yes! This book is really special because there is a mouse hiding on every page so as we read through it, we can work together to find the mouse” Hermione explained before starting in.

“I’m Hyde! I’m Snyde!... “Do you see a mouse, I do not see a mouse”... “There is no mouse at the park snoot hotel”.... “Do you see a mouse, I do not see a mouse”. 

Every time Hermione read a line with someone claiming there wasn’t a mouse at the hotel, Clara would fall into a fit of giggles and point out the mouse on the pages. By the end of the book, they had both laughed more than Hermione could ever remember laughing. 

“Goodnight Clara, I will be in the room right next to yours. It’s so nice to spend this time with you. You are a good reading partner! If you need anything let me know. Remember, the bathroom is right next door”.

Hermione reached down and hugged the little girl and helped her take her braid out. 

“Goodnight Hermione” Clara responded still giggly as she hugged Hermione back.

Hermione left the room leaving the door partially cracked. She waited out of view to make sure Clara would be okay in the relative dark. When she didn’t hear any movement, Hermione began walking away with her mind set on writing Draco about Ms. Didi when she heard Clara whisper to her stuffed unicorn “Goodnight, unicorn. You're safe here with me”.

With that, Hermione smiled a bittersweet smile and walked away. She wrote the letter to Draco quickly and sent it off with her owl, Waldo, and fell fast asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

The next two weeks flew by as Hermione and Clara settled into a routine. Tuesday-Friday the pair had breakfast together before going down to work at Books and Bob's for the day. An older woman with a kind disposition named Agnes McDermott had agreed to take on the weekend and evening hours and Hermione was very grateful. 

During Hermione’s hours in the shop, Clara would play with various stuffed animals or draw next to Hermione at the front counter. She was shy around customers but at night when it was just Hermione she would giggle and ask to be read to. Hermione rarely said no. 

Hermione would read in funny voices to Clara as Clara snuggled into Hermione's side, her eyes wide in amazement as she learned about bears skating on jam, monkeys getting into trouble and cackling stumps. Clara hadn't said very much more about Ms. Didi and Hermione worried if they would ever find out more about her. They knew she lived in a city where people spoke a different language, clara thought she was nice and that she had a mean Husband. 

Draco and Ron had doggedly been digging through files at work trying to find anyone named Didi but they hadn't found anything except an annoyed Percy Weasley in the records office, who didn't appreciate the amount of respect Ron and Draco showed to ministry records. Ron had dropped a hamburger on a file detailing the recent arrest of Draco's housemate Adrian Pucey. He had been caught smuggling dark objects from the UK to his father, a former death eater, Invictus Pucey in France. Invictus Pucey was being held by the French ministry in Paris but the wife had not been named in the report. 

The French aurors office had merely written, "the wife of Invictus Pucey and mother of Adrian Pucey appeared relieved at the arrests of her family members and has not been brought into custody at this time". Dracos mind had been spinning, he needed to figure out her name. He owled the French aurors office asking for the name but had not heard back yet. Percy had seen the state if the file and flew off the handle, grabbing the dirty file back. 

Draco had stopped by more evenings than not. His excuses for visiting varied from checking on Clara as the auror assigned to the case, needing to ask more questions about Ms. Didi or her life with Rodolphus or Rabastan, bringing her toys, or in one particularly nice occasion to bring over fish and chips and a bouquet of Flowers for Hermione from the manor gardens. Regardless of the excuse, the trio always ended up going to the park or playing games before settling in for a meal. 

Never had Hermione been so happy. She wasn't lonely and Clara kept her so busy, she rarely feel into ruminating on the past. One evening as she watched Draco play hide and seek with Clara for the tenth time that evening, Hermione wondered if this was Draco at his happiest as well. She certainly had never seen the blonde man look this relaxed. 

Giggles erupted from the corner of the room where a small socked foot was still visible under a pile of blankets.

His face was crooked in a wide smile, hands covering his eyes as he counted in dress pants and his gray auror sweater.  
"Eight… nine… ten. Ready or not here I come!"

He opened his eyes and smiled at her obvious hiding spot before turning to where Hermione stood making a frozen pasta meal in a skillet. Her hair pulled into a messy bun and her green and navy striped dress swaying as she turned to look back at him from the cooker with a grin.

"Now where in the world could she be? Have you seen Clara?" Draco asked with great exaggeration pushing his pale hair back and staring at the vision in front of him.

"No, I dont know where Clara is! She is so sneaky!" Hermione's voice tried to match Dracos but a laugh bubbled through at the end. Draco's smile grew even larger at the sound and the ever present sound of giggling intensified.

Draco spent the next few minutes looking everywhere but where Clara actually was until he finally said "Granger, I see foot! Who's foot is this?" he demanded as he started tickling her foot.

The blankets flung back to reveal messy a small child with now messy curls a Rhine t-shirt and navy shorts. A yellow clip had fallen out of her hair. "It's me! It's Clara! That's my foot! You found me!" She exclaimed happily as she launched herself at Draco.

"Oh there you are Clara!" Draco said smiling and hugging her tight before spinning her in a circle and dropping her on a chair at the table.

Draco picked up the yellow hair clip and returned to Clara as he carefully pushed some of her hair out of her face and clipped the barrett. Her round, happy face now fully visible. Draco leaned down and kissed the top of her head, not thinking about it.

Hermione caught the gesture and felt her affection for Draco growing even stronger. He was so much softer and doting to Clara than she had even imagined. She had expected the purchasing of toys and the kindness but she had never imagined the depth of attention and love the selfish boy from Hogwarts had grown up to supply.

Hermione brought the pasta to the table scooping it onto three plates.

"Dinner is served!" Hermione smiled.

"Thank you Hermione, this looks delicious!" Draco responded before tucking in.

"Thank you Hermione" Clara chirped happily from her spot by the windows.

Clara had a few bites and then looked out the window. It was getting dark out. There were very few people on the street below.

Clara started to cry and left her chair to stand in the middle of the room. Her tiny body shuddering as tears fell on her rhino tshirt.

"What's wong?" Hermione and Draco asked, their voices echoing the worry of the other.

"Ms. Didi is here to take me back to father!" She cried pointing at a well dressed middle aged woman with blonde hair staring at them in the street.

The woman raised her wand and the grubby snarling face of Rodulphus Lestrange appeared next to her. Hermione ran for the portkey to Malfoy manor as Draco grabbed a sobbing Clara in his arms and ran after Hermione. The wards crackled and purple and yellow light surrounded the building. Finally she grabbed the thimble. Draco grabbed Hermione around the waist, pulling her close to him and Clara. The portkey started activating as the wards broke and fiendfyre started up the stairs engulfing the room in think black smoke. As they landed safely on the marble in Malfoy manor, Draco coughed and continued to hold both Clara and Hermione. 

Footsteps sounded from inside the Manor as the worried face of Narcissa Malfoy appeared in a purple robe over them. She turned abruptly and began double checking the wards Complex spells echoing through the thick silence.

"Its okay, were safe now" Hermione whispered shakily into Clara's hair.

Clara whimpered still scared and nuzzled closer to Hermione.

Draco felt overwhelmed. Hermione was safe one room over from where she had been tortured while he watched. They needed to move before she realized.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've added a couple of tags out of an abundance of caution. Please see tags and know that no specific details are given. Please read and review. I appreciate you all. Take care and enjoy!

Narcissa's eyes had zeroed on her son in surprise. Her blonde hair twisted up in a neat knot and her makeup impeccable. Everyday she dressed up and put her makeup on although she was in her last year of house arrest. Her only visitors in the last three years since her Husband had been arrested and imprisoned had been from her son and a solitary visit from her estranged sister Andromeda.

"Draco" Narcissa called, breaking into a quick stride and pulling him into a tight hug. Her robe fanned out around her over her slip on black shoes in an elegance at odds with the situation. Narcissa looked over her son's shoulder and noticed Hermione holding a curly haired child with pale skin and wavy hair. 

"We were attacked, mother. Rodolphus and a woman Clara recognized are after us. This is Hermione Granger and Clara Lestrange… Bellatrix's daughter". Draco spouted running his hands through his hair.

Narcissa clapped a hand over her mouth. Too refined to grasp but too shocked to welcome the guests or hide her surprise.

"Mum." Draco said, his voice picking up speed and a panicked tone. "They set fiendfyre to Hermione's home. We need to secure the wards!"

"Yes, of course…" Narcissa replied, glancing once more at the girls behind her son. Clara’s dark brown hair the color of Andromeda’s but her face and rosy cheeks left no question as to the fact that this child was related to Bellatrix. Clara’s lip trembled as fresh tears fell down her face and onto her t-shirt.  
The tears prompted Narcissa into action. She went through many spells checking and reinforcing all of the wards that she had felt Lucius had been paranoid to insist on. 

"Hominem in circuito" Narcissa said, her face serious and her ebony wand held firm, testing the last of the ward spells. So far all had been fine but then a dark blue light bordering on gray had appeared when she cast the last spell, the foggy images of two people standing at the edge of the property line with wands in hand materialized from the smoke. Narcissa gasped and her eyes connected with her son in worry. Draco gulped and Hermione held Clara closer. The little girl's cries of fright filled the marble hallway. Her cries echoing in the open space. 

The spell to detect unwelcomed foes at the perimeter of the wards had been triggered. They had guessed correctly that Draco would bring Clara and Hermione here. They must have entered the flat as the fire raged and found that the inhabitants that they had just seen through the window were gone.

"Hermione, take Clara farther into the house and send a patronus to the aurors office that we are safe but that the manor is under attack. The wards are strong but the library and the attached sitting room might feel safer for Clara. I'm going to strengthen the Malfoy blood wards with my mother and then we will meet you there." Draco stated, trying to sound assured but feeling worried. 

“Okay, I’ll send a patronus to the auror’s office and to Ron, just to be sure the message is received quickly” Hermione nodded. A house elf named Lima appeared to lead them to the library. 

Once Clara and Hermione had turned the corner, Draco turned back to his mother. 

“Why didn’t you tell me that Bellatrix had a daughter. You just told me that Hermione Granger and a small child might need protection and access to the wards. Why keep this secret from me, Draco?” Narcissa asked her voice shook and hurt.

“I’m sorry mother. It was top secret. The only people who knew that Clara was placed in Hermione’s protective care are Kingsley Shakelbott, Ron Weasley and I. Rodulphus saw me grab Clara when we arrested Rabastan so I knew that she couldn’t stay with me. It took a couple of weeks but tonight Clara looked out the window and saw a woman she knew and then Rodolphus showed up. They broke down the wards and set fiendfyre to Hermione's flat. We just barely escaped via a portkey.”

“Who was the woman?” Narcissa asked her voice laced with worry.

“I don’t know, she was middle aged with blonde hair and Clara recognized her as someone she calls Ms. Didi”. Draco said.  
Narcissa’s eyes grew wide. “Draco... “ she started her face turning even paler but she was cut off. Draco had grabbed his wand, pulled up the sleeve of his sweater and just below his dark mark, he cast a slicing charm as blood started dripping from his arm. 

“Domum protegat”, “protegat Malfoy Manor”, “domum protegat” Draco chanted cutting his mother off as he moved his wand in a figure eight over and over again. His blood from his arm followed the shape and a flash of red pulsed outward reinforcing the Malfoy blood wards. No one was going to break through the wards tonight. No home in the United Kingdom was likely to be more secure than Malfoy Manor was tonight.

Draco stared at the cut and his dark mark in shame after the wards were set. It was Death Eaters like him that had neglected Clara and burnt down the home and business of the woman he most admired. To make it worse, it was his uncle who had done it. Not his flesh and blood but a man he had sat stoically across the table from at tense family dinners in this very home. 

“Terego” Narcissa whispered, breaking her son out of his reverie.

“Draco” Narcissa said, pulling his sleeve down over his dark mark. Hiding the obscene tattoo from view. 

Draco’s gray eyes locked on Narcissa’s blue eyes as she reached to grab her son’s hand reassuringly. 

Narcissa took a deep breath and continued “I know someone named Diedra. I wonder if she could be Ms. Didi. As a child, Andromeda, Bellatrix and I always called her Didi. Let’s go join Hermione in the library and I will tell you and Hermione what I know at the same time. We are safe for now. These wards will hold”.

Narcissa stared at his mother. If only he had been open with her and asked her about Ms. Didi right away. Hot shame washed over him for not trusting her. Narcissa was already halfway down the hallway and Draco followed her further into the manor.

After a few turns, they arrived at the dark mahogany doors. Pushing them aside, they were met with the sight of Clara sitting on Hermione’s lap on the edge of a dark green chaise lounge. A subdued silver and gold elfish chandelier with jade inlets was on and light filled the room. 

Upon seeing them. Hermione stood up, leaving Clara on the chaise holding an antique golden pillow with green embroidery. 

“I sent the patronuses. Ron has responded. He and Harry are assembling a team that is going to try to capture them up against the wards. We are to remain here no matter what.” Hermione breathed her hand shaking as she pushed back her curls behind her ear.  
“Thank you Granger. The blood wards are set and mother has an idea about who Ms. Didi could be”. Draco said, sitting on a green velvet arm chair across from the chaise lounge. His mother sat down gingerly next to him and copying Hermione, pushed a non-existent piece of blonde hair back towards her well contained hair. 

“You do?” Hermione asked, looking at the older witch in surprise.

“Ms. Didi was always nice but today she was mean. Why did she make the fire” Clara whaled, hiding her face in the pillow.

Narcissa looked at the girl. “I’m not sure sweetheart. I remember her as a kind woman too. It’s been a couple of years since I have seen her though”. Narcissa smiled but it turned out more like a grimace.

“Please tell us what you know Mrs. Malfoy” Hermione said glancing over at Draco who was tapping his foot with nerves. Upon noticing Hermione’s glance, he stopped his foot and tried to focus on his mother and not his nerves at this strange situation. Hermione in his library with his cousin and his mother, hiding from Death Eaters.

"Well, I wonder if Ms. Didi might be Diedra Pucey. She was Andromeda’s best friend growing up, her maiden name was Roseier, so we grew up in the same circles. We were, well, all wealthy pureblood girls from upstanding dark arts families. She was so sweet but as a beautiful Hufflepuff, in a sea of Slytherins, she stood out. Standing out in our circle was not considered a good thing and although young men were quite interested in her, she was always an outsider. Sometime in her teens, Andromeda started to hang out with her and by extension Ted Tonks. He was also a Hufflepuff, albeit a muggle born. At eighteen, Andromeda was seen as out of control with her beliefs so our parents decided to set up a marriage between Andromeda and a brute of a young man, Invictus Pucey. The next day, Andromeda was gone and the day after that, the black family tapestry at Grimmauld place read ‘Andromeda Tonks’.”

“Invictus Pucey… Adrian’s father. They were recently arrested in France. I couldn’t find out the name of his wife.” Draco commented shocked. 

Hermione sucked in a breath and looked back at Narcissa, “Then what happened, Narcissa. Do continue”.

“Okay well, when they saw the tapestry name change everyone was shocked. I knew the name but stayed silent. I had seen them talking on the train in Andromeda's 7th year and thought it was odd. It took a while for others to figure out who Ted Tonks was but Bellatrix remembered later on from competing against Ted in quidditch. He was a seeker a couple of years younger than him. The same age as Andromeda.. She told our family that Andromeda had run away with a muggleborn Hufflepuff. She was blasted from the tapestry and Death Eaters led by my father and Invictus Pucey were sent to kill her and Ted. They never could find them.” Narcissa recounted a tear and an anguished look on her face.

Narcissa looked between her son and Hermione, pausing and remembering all of the times Draco had complained about Hermione. Even as a child, Hermione had his attention. She knew his views on blood purity had almost entirely been a mask for his true feelings towards the girl now in their home. A pureblood and a muggleborn one generation later. Lucius had seen his son collapse into sobs after Hermione’s torture and so he had pushed even harder for Draco to embrace blood purist ideals.Lucius believed it was better to be alive than to be good. She had never told her son this story. Perhaps she should have but she had wanted to protect him.

“When they couldn’t find them and a week had passed, Bellatrix found a letter between Andromeda and Didi who had already been under strict suspicion as a friend of Andromeda and Ted. It came out that she had helped them escape. She was tortured until she agreed to marry Invictus Pucey in Andromeda’s stead. She never did give up her whereabouts”. Narcissa ended tears flowing down her face.

“Mr. Invictus yells a lot at Ms. Didi! He’s mean!” Clara whaled putting her face into the pillow. 

Narcissa looked at Clara sadly. She had proven her theory. Diedra Pucey was Ms. Didi.

“From all accounts, Didi seems like a kind woman in a terrible situation but if that’s true why did she set fire to our building and show Rodulphus where we were?” Hermione asked her mind whirling.

“I don’t know. Maybe she was imperioed or under some sort of control” Draco mused, rubbing his eyes as tears leaked out thinking about how scary it must have been for Andromeda and Didi during that time. He knew too much about hiding away his feelings. He had spent most of his leisure time in his late teens until now dreaming about Hermione. Sometimes innocently and other times in ways that would make others blush. He knew what it was like to be in love with a muggleborn. She sat across from him holding a little child. He shook his head feeling a headache forming.

“Draco, how did you find Clara? I didn’t even know she existed and Bellatrix and I would have lived together around the time that Clara was born. Obviously Bellatrix kept her well hidden. Who told you about her?” Narcissa asked, confusion and sadness mixed in her voice.

Draco and Hermione stared at each other. “Andromeda” they both said, eyes widening.


	9. Chapter 9

The room was still and then Narcissa stood up, brushing non-existent dirt off her lap. She walked to the corner of the room and back before calling out “Ima” in a tone laced with stress.

The small elf popped back into the room and looked at Narcissa expectantly. “Yes, Mistress”

Hermione cringed.

“When my sister, Andromeda came to visit about a month ago, she asked to borrow books from the library. Which books did she ask for?” Narcissa responded quickly moving towards the large brown book ledger only a few paces away.

The elf stared at her as Narcissa flipped mindlessly through the large tome, her back to Draco and Hermione. Her fingers stopped on a book title and she snapped her manicured fingers. A heavy black book entitled “The Ancient and Most Noble House of Black flew to her. Narcissa set it on the table for later and then turned around to face them once again confused as to why the book was still here and why her house elf wasn’t answering her.

“Ima!” she demanded her tone regal and commanding. “Please answer me. What did my sister Andromeda borrow from this library, I know that she left with some books and she hasn’t given them back.”

“Mother…” Draco started uncomfortable with her raised voice. Clara was staring at Narcissa with something akin to worry when just a moment ago she had been snuggled into Hermione’s side, her eyelids drooping. 

The elf and Narcissa ignored Draco.

“Miss Andromeda took three books and left one” the elf squeaked nervously, twirling his foot. “The books she took were “The Black Family History Book”, “Trances & Spells: Reversing Spells of Control” and “The Diary of Cedrella Black”.

“The family history books make sense, she said that she wanted to talk to her grandson Teddy about his family. I’m sure those books would have come in handy…” Draco said nervously. He cast a spell to monitor the wards and the unwanted visitors just beyond it. There were now five people. The numbers had grown. 

“There are more people outside the wards just south of the greenhouses. Five people in total so three people must have joined them” Draco said standing up and looking between Hermione and his mother unsure of what to do next.

Ron had sent a quick patronus back telling them to stay where they were and they were doing that but the more people, the less safe he felt. He wanted to get out there and do his job as an auror, but he found himself in a more helpless roll today. He didn’t like it. His stomach sloshed 

Hermione didn’t respond to the blonde man other than to nod and gulp before she brandished her wand from where she was sitting with Clara and sent her otter patronus off with a message to let the aurors know the number attacking had grown.

Narcissa seemed more worried about the borrowed books and Hermione felt a strange kinship with the two Malfoy’s before her. They thought the library was the most comforting place to be and looked for clues in books. This part of the manor did feel safe to her. She shook off the thought. It was inappropriate to think about such mundane things when lives were at stake.

“Ima… you said that Andromeda left a book in the library. Can you please tell us what book that was?” Hermione asked politely.

Ima snapped his fingers and a thin book from a few shelves over zoomed to Hermione’s hands. A little mouse in a dress stared back at her from under the title and Hermione took a breath as her brain tried to connect the dots. 

Clara, not yet a reader, looked at the book and smiled for the first time since they entered the Malfoy Manor. “My book!” she squealed! “Chrysanthemum” she added happily, grabbing the book from Hermione and pointing to the title. 

“This is the book Ms. Didi bought you, right Clara?” Hermione asked looking at the little girl before starting back at the colorful book hoping that it would answer all of the questions.

“Yes, it’s my book, see?” she said her face bright as she opened the covor and pointed to the scrawling words “Dear Clara, Happy 4th birthday! You are getting so big and are so smart. I hope that you like this book. It’s about a little mouse who doesn’t like her name. I want you to know that your name is beautiful. If you ever are lost just hold this book close. Love, Ms. Didi”

“Well that’s nice..” Draco said after reading it the words out loud and wondering if she meant for the little girl to at some point not like being a Lestrange or perhaps a Black? Draco knew what it was like to not want to be a Malfoy.

“The coolest part is a secret!” Clara said excited and obviously not comprehending the meaning of the word. “If something really bad happens, Ms. Didi said that I should find a woman named Abrielle Durand at this location and she would help me!” 

Clara hugged the book to her chest tightly and then pulled it back. Under Ms. Didi’s signature was a note. 43.94834, 4.80892. Coordinates.

“Abrielle Durand. From the french auror’s office? She’s their office coordinator. I sent an owl with a letter asking who Invictus Pucey’s wife was today and I didn’t hear back” Draco said rubbing his head.

“And then only a few hours later, Didi and Rodulphus showed up at my flat. It has to be connected. They knew that we were about to find out the name of Invictus’s wife.”

Clara looked up at Narcissa, “Will you read this to me?” she asked with hopeful eyes, raising the book up to her Aunt.

“Not now, dear” Narcissa responded. She pulled out her wand and wordlessly cast a spell. There were now 20 people outside of Malfoy manor. The auror’s had arrived, at least that's what Hermione hoped accounted for the additional people. The projections of the hazy outlines of people captured the adults’ attention. They watched in confusion, not knowing who was who. The images were not clear enough. 

Hermione didn’t have very many people left in this world that she loved and cared for her back. Her parents couldn’t remember her existence. She had never been particularly popular or good at making friends. That just left Harry, Ron, Draco, Ginny and Clara as people that she truly interacted with regularly. 

Draco had been slowly pushing himself onto that list for some time and the last few weeks with Clara had raised him even further in her esteem. She could just imagine the smug look on his handsome face if he knew that she thought of him so highly. He would tease her and look at her intently, he himself wasn't good at sharing information about his personal life with her. He wasnt often willing to be vulnerable. The list of things that Draco was however, greatly outweighed the things that he wasn't. He was kind. He was intelligent. He was brave and still an auror even though she hadn't been able to make it work. He had risked his life trying to protect her on countless missions and had pulled Clara out of her unsafe living conditions. He wasn’t the only one that could be strong and brave though. There had once been a time when Hermione had thought that she was much braver than Draco. She was still that same person, just a little wiser, she took calculated risks. Now was the time for a calculated risk.

“Clara, stay here with Ima. If you get separated from anyone, hide. I’ll see you soon. Hermione whispered, kissing the top of the little girls head. 

“Granger, what are you doing?” Draco snapped moving closer to her but he was too late she was already running in the direction she thought the greenhouses were in.

Her footsteps on the marble floor felt heavy with purpose.


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione ran out to the main hallway that had led to the library and then she turned and ran down the hallway away from the front doors, her dress swinging at her calves and her hair flying out behind her shoulders in a mess of curls. She knew the greenhouse must be at the back of the manor as she hadn’t seen it from the front when the snatchers had brought them in all of those years ago. 

A second step of footsteps joined her as she neared a dead end. She knew Draco was following her but she didn’t want him to tell her to stop. She picked a side and ran down a narrower hallway lined with navy wallpaper and portraits of past Malfoy’s sneering at her as she passed. Draco’s footsteps grew louder as she reached the end of the hallway. A french door stood between her and the outdoors. A swathe of garden stood between the doors and an ornate glass greenhouse. 

“Granger.. Wait…” Draco’s voice called from much closer than she expected. 

She turned back to look at him a few paces from the doors. “Draco, I have to help Harry and Ron. They could be outnumbered.” Hermione responded.

Draco was now right next to her, he grabbed her arm, his pale fingers wrapping around her scar. She wondered if he could feel the raised letters that his aunt carved. The word he used to call her. If he felt her scar, he didn’t show it. 

“This is too dangerous,” he scowled. “You can’t just throw yourself into the situation when we have no idea what’s happening out there!” His concern turned to anger. 

“The whole point of me running here is so that I can better scope out the situation! Don’t forget that I also covered your ass many times in the field. Just because I ended on a bad note in the auror’s office doesn’t mean that I am some damsel in distress that needs saving!” she argued, her cheeks pink and her hair wild. 

Draco stalled, his face flushing. “A damsel in distress?” he muttered. “When have you ever been a damsel in distress? You’re the golden girl. You are one of the smartest witches alive. You are the fucking reason why Potter and Weasley are even still around. Without your cleverness and bravery the Dark Lord might still live in this home!” Draco yelled the last bit.

Hermione didn’t say anything and looked at her feet. Maybe charging down this hallway alone wasn’t the best idea. She hadn’t ever heard something so validating in her life. Since she cast that killing curse in that alley and broke down, she had felt weaker. So many people had killed but she wasn’t able to do it. 

The pause must have been too long, as Draco reached over and grabbed her other arm. “You aren’t a damsel in distress but that doesn’t mean that I am going to sit by and watch you endanger yourself at my childhood home.” he pushed a piece of hair back from her face. 

Their eyes met and Hermione felt the weight of his concern. It mirrored the concern he had shown her many times before. At some point, Draco Malfoy had grown to care for her and she hadn’t trusted it could be true. Could he have changed that much? Even as she thought the question, she knew the answer was yes. She watched his eyes dip to her lips and she realized she was biting her lip in hesitation. An old habit.

“Thank you, Draco” she said and then reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek. His cheek warm under her lips. “It’s nice that you care but I am going to go find out what’s happening and see if I can help. You can join me if you like…” Hermione said trailing off unsure of herself and wondering if the kiss had been a bad idea.

Draco looked as though he was experiencing some sort of exquisite internal struggle. His face was pink and his eyes were hungry. He had let go of her arm and was now pushing his hand through his hair, flustered. 

Hermione turned and walked to the doors. As her hand pulled on the golden handle she heard Draco say “I’m joining you. Let’s stay close to the edge of the manor. The wards should still be holding there. They end shortly after the greenhouse.”

“That sounds good. Let’s try to stay out of their sight as long as possible. I wonder if Didi is under the imperio as her actions don’t match what we have learned about her and based on the book about breaking spells of control that Andromeda checked out” Hermione responded feeling the cogs and levers in her brain spinning and trying to ignore the feelings that had led her to kiss Draco moments ago.

“Yes, let’s try for Rodulphus first” Draco agreed with a nod.

Hermione pushed open the door and the pair slowly crept closer to the greenhouse. 

Outside the world was loud with the commotion of Auror’s battling Death Eaters at the edge of the perimeter. As they reached the greenhouse, Hermione saw the battle unfolding and her heart began to pound. 

Draco whispered in her ear, as he slid up against her back “6 death eaters- including Rodulphus and Didi and 14 Aurors”. 

“Good odds” she whispered. She looked at the battle unfolding as a variety of colors cast over the aurors. Light reflecting from the spells that shot as quick as lightning between the two groups near the treeline. It was almost beautiful. A scream pierced the air and an auror was down, unconscious and bleeding heavily from the head. Another auor ran to him and an Avada Kedavra hit the woman before she could reach her partner. 

A man with red hair that she would recognize anywhere, surged forward as Draco clasped a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. Ron ran forward and cast curse after curse. One of the Death eaters fell and Ron ran past the dead body of one coworker to grab the man who was steadily bleeding out on the ground.

“I need help getting him to Mungo’s” Ron yelled and an older man ran over to grab the other arm of the man who had fallen. Together the three of them disappeared. The minutes stretched on and an auror whisked away with the body of the fallen death eater as another grabbed the body of the fallen auror. Hermione looked at Draco in concern, the numbers had been in Auror's favor but were steadily evening out. After an additional 10 minutes, there were three death eaters left, counting Didi and six aurors including Harry. His hair was plastered back and Rodulphus had already sent a few killing curses his way. Hermione crept forward, she could see Harry tiring, his movement slowing. He couldn’t hold up much longer.

Draco cursed “What are you doing?” but Hermione ignored him.

“Protego” she whispered pointing at Harry just in time for a blood red spell to bounce off him surprising Rodulphus and Harry.

They couldn’t see her but from across the way, she saw someone who did. Didi stared at her, her eyes glossy and far away but then as though she wasn’t programmed to do anything else, she continued battling with the auror across from her.

She was imperiod. Didi was indeed under the imperius curse. Hermione whispered “Priori intanatum” and pointed her wand at the witch. Nothing changed, she knew it wouldn’t. Very few things would reverse the imperius curse. Either the castor would have to lift the spell or die in order to release her.

She cast a protego over Didi and the auror she was fighting with for good measure and then she looked back at Draco. He was next to her now almost in the open. “Didi is imperioed. It has to be Rodulphus. He needs to die”. Hermione said her voice cracking as her wand hand wavered in the air ready to cast the spell she wished she had never heard about.

Draco pushed down her hand, “Not today. I have an idea” he soothed. He raised his wand “Petrificus Totalus” he whispered and Rodulphus Lestrange dropped down as stiff as a board. Harry looked up at them and saw where they were. He looked angry that they were out there. Probably concerned that they were risking their lives from the safety of the wards.

“Petrificus Totalus” Hermione echoed at Didi. As Didi fell, the aurors cornered the last remaining death eater and then all were in custody. The aurors grabbed them the death eaters and whisked them to safety.

“Harry!” Hermione yelled, running to her friend and giving him a hug. 

“Hermione! What were you thinking!” Harry fumed.

“I’m pretty sure you owe Hermione and I a Thank you Potter” Draco lilted behind her.

Hermione ignored them both. “We think Ms. Didi has been imprioed and that she is still in some sort of connection to Andromeda! Tell the auror’s to break the imperius on her as soon as possible!”

Potter nodded and said “I’ll go tell them now, stay here with Clara for the night. You should be safe but your place is completely burned. I’m sorry Hermione”.

Hermione nodded as her friend apparated away. Her shop was gone, her flat was gone, all of the things she owned, the last pieces from her muggle life with her family, the start of her new life with Clara, it was all gone. She imagined the books catching fire and the stories burning away, turning to char, their contents reduced to rubble. She felt herself start to spin and her eyes mist. The lights of the manor blurred in her vision.

She felt like she was going to fall, but then a warm arm wrapped around her and held her close. “I’ve got you Granger” he whispered into her hair as he lead her into the safety of the manor. Her tears dripped down and onto her dress. “I’ve got you” he repeated. She leaned on him and sobbed, all of the stress and sadness from the last few years falling out of her eyes and onto the chest of Draco Malfoy. He didn’t move away.


	11. Chapter 11

Hermione and Draco stood in a tight embrace for some time just inside the french doors. Hermione mourned the loss from the fire and her newly found stability and Draco tried desperately to erase his guilt at having linked her to this dangerous situation by soaking up her tears. 

"I'm sorry Hermione, I shouldn't have roped you into this." Draco said,brushing her curls away from her cheeks. 

"Don't…" Hermione muttered looking at him with red eyes. 

"What? It's all my fault" Draco mused now turning his hand to his own hair.

"These few weeks with Clara...and you… have been amazing. I never thought I would grow attached to her so quickly but she feels like family now. Don't blame yourself for having her stay with me, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way" Hermione said her voice catching as she threw in the "and you" part.

"At least Clara's safe now" Draco responded. The weight of his words settled on them. 

"Shes safe…" Hermione murmured into his shoulder before pulling back to give Draco a watery smile.

Draco reached over to push back a strand of hair that had fallen over her face. An insatiable need to touch her, to show her how much she meant to him coursed threw him. It was now or never.

"Hermione, I don't know if you realized but I have really enjoyed helping you with Clara but I have a confession to make. Even before Clara, I've always dreamed of spending more time with you." He said, biting back the truth that he had often imagined dating her, sleeping with her and having a family with her. 

Everything was so mixed up but in his head he thought of Clara as their child. During those meals together he had felt like they were a family. Were they just playing house? No, his love for Hermione and Clara were real regardless of the circumstances.

Hermione's face blushed and matched her eyes. The last few tears had dropped off her face. 

She wiped her eyes on her arm looking up at him unsure "Oh" she said. A long pause ensued but she felt unsure of what to say, too surprised by his honesty and the potential implications of his words.

"Never mind, sorry, this is the wrong time" he stuttered, his face flaming.

He glanced at Hermione as she bit her lip again, teasing the plump flesh between her teeth. Did she know what he meant? Could she read the words unsaid? She was rejecting him, he reasoned. He had known this could happen but it still tore at his stomach. He started walking down the hallway. He needed to put space between them.

"Wait! Draco, I want to be close to you too!" Hermikne responded hastily as her mind caught up to his words. Then with a few purposeful strides, her arms were back around him and her lips were on his. Draco's heart kept and he deepened the kiss, desperate for it to be something she would want to repeat.

They broke apart and Draco kissed her quickly on the lips again before locking eyes with her, "Would you go on a date with me when this is over Granger?" He asked studying her face.

"Yes Draco, I would love that" Hermione responded pulling him back to continue their exploration of eachother's mouths. Draco groaned as they moved backwards, his back hitting the wall as she pressed herself close to his body.

Their positions reversed and Hermiones back hit the wall as Draco kissed down to her neck creating space between her body and where he knew his arousal was growing. He wanted to take things slow. He needed to know that even in less adrenaline filled times, she would still want him. This was too precious.

A throat cleared in the background. They stilled and jumped apart looking down the hallway.

"I take it, we are no longer in grave danger?" Narcissa intoned with a smirk as a little girl ran towards them down the long hall that her mother had once walked, reaching Hermione first her arms up and ready for a hug. Needing to be held and reassured.

Hermione picked Clara up and held her close. Clara clutched her tight and their curls mixed together, on Hermione's shoulder. Draco moved closer and looked at Clara, then back to his mother.

"No, we are no longer in danger" Draco responded to his mother, blushing.

"We are safe" Hermione breathed into Clara's hair. 

\---  
At some point late into the night, they had all fallen asleep in the library amongst the books. Narcissa had wanted them to sleep in a bedroom but to be honest they hadn't wanted to be apart so Ima had snapped her fingers and perhaps for the first time in its history, three beds appeared in the library. Narcissa had shook her head and then tried to cover a smile as she told them goodnight and headed off to her room.

They all slept in. It had been a long day.

The next day at lunch, Draco, sat next to Clara and across from Hermione as his mother played host. Narcissa had always loved hosting but as Draco watched the odd assortment of food displayed on the table, he had no doubt who she was catering to. Narcissa sat down gracefully at the head of the table and smiled. "Well, I hope you enjoy. Go ahead, Clara! Try some of everything." She said as Draco filled Clara's plate. A ceramic, intricate plate. The kind someone might wish came in plastic. He smiled. The best of the best, accompanied by delicate cutlery sitting to the side of the child's cream colored placemat.

Hermione looked dubiously at that placemat. "Be careful Clara dear. Make sure to use your napkin" Hermione said before bringing a jam tart to her own lips with a grin.

Clara bounced in the same clothes as yesterday on her seat as a plate of apple jam tarts were set in front of her next to lasagne, and a pesto chicken salad. A bowl of the same kind of chocolates Narcissa had mailed him at Hogwarts sat tempting him on the sideboard.

"Yum! This is sooo good!" Clara crooned as she ate the tarts, her fingers and the placemat becoming jammy in a second.

Draco laughed and said to Clara, "Your aunt Narcissa makes the best jam tarts!"

"You make these, Mrs. Malfoy?" Hermione asked, surprised as she started in on the lasagne, only crumbs remained of the apple tart that had once graced her plate.

"Please call me Narcissa, Hermione. We are practically family, dear" Narcissa smiled as Draco blushed.

"Yes, I have found that I enjoy baking since I have been relegated to my home. It helps the time go by" Narcissa continued.

Whatever Hermione would have said next, was cut off by an owl. Draco's boss, Kingsley Shacklebot, was coming over with Andromeda to debrief them on the situation and discuss Clara's guardianship.


	12. Chapter 12

Upon Draco sharing that Kingsley was coming over with Andromeda, the room spun into action. Clara was pulled away from her lasagne with a whine. Ima instantly removed all food from the table with a snap on Narcissa’s command.

“We are expecting important company, Clara. Don’t worry, we will eat again soon.” Hermione responded, her mind spinning. Clara’s guardianship? Did Andromeda want to be her guardian. Hermione’s stomach plummeted. She didn’t want to part with Clara.

Narcissa led the way to the floo and if Hermione didn't just spent the last few hours with her, she would have thought there was an arrogance to the way the woman held her head high, her nose tilted upward. Now she knew that Narcissa was steeling herself for whatever came next. It was her armor.

Draco picked up an unhappy Clara and began to follow his mother. Hermione could hear him whispering to the little girl, calming her until she gave him a hug and was set down to walk beside him. Her hand in his. Draco looked back at Hermione and nodded. Hermione nodded back unsure of what they were agreeing to but wishing they had discussed Clara’s permanent care ahead of time.

As they walked into the receiving room, the floo came to life and Narcissa whispered a spell to let two figures through. Kingsley walked into the room with a briefcase and a green and orange robe set. Andromeda followed shortly in a decidedly middle class purple robe, starkly contrasting Narcissa’s from yesterday. Hermione was glad that Narcissa had changed this morning into a blue ensemble.

Draco walked forward and shaked his bosses hand, “Welcome to Malfoy Manor, Shaklebott” he said evenly, before turning with a smile “Welcome Andromeda, it’s nice to meet you in person” he responded to his aunt.

Andromeda smiled at him, “It’s nice to meet you too, Draco” she responded shaking his hand.

Narcissa appeared next to her son, “Andromeda, explain what you know, this instant! Why didn’t you tell me that Bellatrix had a child? I would have helped you!” she said exasperated as she looked at her older sister.

“Cissa, don’t be mad. I let your son know as soon as I thought it was safe. I just couldn’t risk it any earlier. I have little Teddy to worry about too, you know” Andromeda responded sadly.

“Is there somewhere we can all sit down and talk? Perhaps a table?” Kingsley interrupted, not wanting to have the entire conversation outside the floo.

He looked over and smiled at Hermione, “Oh, Hermione, It’s good to see you” he said to his old Order friend.

“Yes, it’s great to see you as well!” Hermione responded, forcing her voice to sound upbeat.

“We can meet in the dining room, just follow me” Narcissa responded. Without waiting for a response she began ushering to the room they had just left. They all sat down at the table.

“But we were just here and you made the food go away!” Clara frowned.

“Accio chocolates” Draco whispered and the confections from the sideboard flew into his hands.

“Clara, here’s some chocolate. We will eat more later” He responded, handing her two pieces. Her frown melted away, the hint of a tantrum over.

Hermione frowned and looked at Kingsley and Andromeda, “Please tell us what’s going on” she said.

Kingsley started in. “We have good news. I wanted to let you know that we do not feel that there are any current threats towards any of you. Unfortunately Hermione’s flat and business are gone. The fire was not able to be controlled in time but we did spare the neighboring buildings.” He looked at Hermione and she swallowed and nodded.

“Hermione, we have already contacted your insurance company, and you should be able to rebuild or create something new of equal value on the property.” Kingsley added as he pushed his round wire rimmed glasses up further on his nose.

“Okay, right, that makes sense.” Hermione responded relieved. She had forgotten about the insurance. At least she wouldn’t go broke trying to rebuild.

Kingsley smiled, pleased that Hermione had taken his news well. He paused and pulled a file out, looking at Clara. Clara appeared bored and had scrunched the chocolate wrappers into little balls and was currently trying to stack the balls on top of one another.

“Ima” Narcissa called intuiting that this conversation would be better for the adults to hear alone. “Can you take Clara to the library for some more lunch?”

The elf appeared in the dining room and with a “yes, mistress” led Clara away leaving the wrappers balled up next to Draco.

“Tell us what’s going on with Didi and the Death Eaters” Hermione said, cutting to the chase, her fingers bouncing on the table.

Draco straightened his chair, creating a scraping noise on the floor, causing all eyes to focus on him.

“Sorry” Draco muttered. “Continue”.

Androma placed her hands on the table and leaned forward taking a large breath before starting in.

“A month ago, I received a letter from an old friend, Diedra Pucey. I know her as Didi. We were best friends growing up and when I ran away to marry Ted, she was forced to marry a horribly controlling man, Invictus Pucey. A couple of years ago, right after the fall of Voldemort, I saw her rounding the corner in Diagon Alley. It was the first time that I had seen her since I ran away. I could barely believe it was her. I knew that her son, Adrian had attended Hogwarts to carry on the Pucey tradition but that she lived in France. Outside of high society events, she was rarely seen and since I no longer run in that circle, we never made contact. First out of fear for our own safety, things were terrible back then, and then later because we lost contact. She was just in London for a few days, visiting family. We ran into eachother at flourish and blotts. I could have recognized her anywhere. I was so happy to see her but she was in a panic. She told me she didn’t have much time before her Husband showed up but that she was worried about a little child. I was in the middle of buying some books for little Teddy. I asked about the age of the child and she told me that she was near Teddy’s age. I passed her a muggle book to see what she would do. She didn’t realize it was a muggle book and took it just as the door chimed and her husband entered the shop. She whispered to me that I should visit the Black Family literature and then left as I turned away. It wasn’t until a month ago that I received a letter from a woman with a codename: Chrysanthemum telling me that her husband was going to go to jail soon and that I should check the Black family lineage materials at Malfoy Manor to see what was listed under Bellatrix’s name. I knew it was from Didi, Chrysanthemum was the name of the book I had passed her at the end of the war.”

“So that’s why you came here to see me after all those years. You were looking for information in the library.” Narcissa said her mind piecing together. She looked disappointed, possibly even sad.

“Narcissa, you never reached out to me in all the time since I ran away so I assumed you didn’t want me in your life. I realize now that I was wrong but yes on that day I was in this home to find information.”

“And you found that Bellatrix had a daughter with Rodulphus?” Draco asked, filling in the pieces.

“Yes, exactly. I still wasn’t sure what to do in order to find her, even Didi wasn’t sure where she normally lived. It was so secretive even in their community since Rodulphus and Rabastan were on the run. Didi felt she couldn’t do anything before Invictus was arrested because he would kill her. He has a terrible temper and in her letters she told me she was worried that he might cast a controlling spell on her if she stepped too far out of line. He had used the imperius curse on her before. A couple of weeks ago, she got in contact again with an old society friend who now worked in the french auror’s department in Avignon and funneled all of the illegal dealings paperwork on her son and husband to them. When they were arrested, she wrote to me and said that Clara had done her first signs of accidental magic the last time she visited and that I should tell the ministry in the UK to use the trace on her. I decided to write to Draco and I guess you know what happened after that.”

Hermione sucked in a breath, trying to process this new information. “When we saw Didi fighting today, it looked like it was her who led Rodulphus to my flat and that she might have been imperioed. If her husband was gone, who would have thought to imperio her.” Hermione asked.

Kingsley wrapped a knuckle on the table, “Good question Hermione, under veritasirum, Rodulphus admitted to becoming suspicious of her after Clara went missing. He said that Rabastan had let Didi have too much free reign with her on visits and that his child was being too spoiled by the woman. Once Clara went missing, he decided to follow her. After Draco looked into the Pucey file, an auror in Avignon reached out to Didi to let her know that she was going to release her full name the next day to the auror’s office in the UK. Didi then went to find Clara to explain to Draco what was going on. When she arrived in Hogsmeade, she was imperioed by Rodulphus. He has now removed the curse voluntarily.” he said, his glasses had now slid down to the tip of his nose again. He pushed them up.

There was a tense silence as the room breathed, taking in the information. Soaking it up like a sponge.

Kingsley took the silence as a sign to continue, “So, now we need to discuss guardianship. Is there anyone who would like to be her permanent or semi-permanent guardian? Hermione has been serving excellently as a discrete emergency placement but I understand that you didn’t apply to be a foster parent.”

“I would like to be considered, but I know that I am not family.” Hermione said a tear falling from her eyes.

“If Hermione can’t be the guardian, can it be me?” Draco asked in a small voice. “I think Hermione should be made the guardian as Clara has been living with her but I would still like to help out if she is amiable to that.” he said looking at Hermione hesitantly.

“I would be more than amiable to that, if I was approved as Clara’s guardian”.

“Andromeda? Narcissa? If either of you would like to be Clara’s guardian, now is the time to say something. Draco and Hermione are both quite young but it would be something I would approve. Perhaps, Clara could live with Hermione but Draco as her cousin could have some of the same legal guardianship rights.” Kingsley said, pulling out a formal looking scroll and a dark black quill from his briefcase and setting them on the table.

Narcissa looked at her son. “Draco, are you sure?” she asked.

“Mum, I’m sure.” He responded by locking eyes with her for just a second before turning his eyes to Andromeda.

“If no one could take her in, I would but I think if Hermione would be her guardian, I would approve that. Teddy is already a lot for me and I wouldn’t want her to have to get used to a new batch of people. If Draco stays closely in her life, that seems like a good plan to me” Andromeda agreed.

“I agree with my sister” Narcissa responded smiling and wiping away a tear.

Hermione let out a breath and felt her whole body relax. Clara would be her family, her child and she could raise her with Draco. It was almost too much to bear.

“Alright then, Hermione Jean Granger, I have some documents for you to sign.” Kingsley said rubbing his hands together and passing over a stack of legal documents.

Hermione signed a stack of documents and then Draco signed a few as well.

“Now, time to swear you both in as guardian and co-gaurdian to Clara Lestrange” Kingsley said excitedly.

“Wait, Clara should be here” Hermione interrupted.

Narcissa called for Ima to return with Clara and the pair returned to the dining room. Hermione looked at Clara as she stood there smiling with a jam tart. Her rhino shirt on from their shopping trip and her features mirroring her birth mother. Her smile though was different. It was hopeful and kind. Clara had gone through so much and now it was time for her to be loved. Hermione could do it, she looked at Draco as he picked up Clara and smiled at her. They could do this. They could raise Clara Lestrange.  
Draco walked around the table to where Hermione stood and Clara reached out her arms. Hermione scooped her up and balanced her heavy on her hip. “Clara, I have loved being with you the last few weeks. Your father and uncle have been arrested and you won’t be going back with them. How do you feel?” Hermione asked.

Clara shrugged, “Can I stay with you?” she asked her cheeks red and a smear of jam tart now visible on her shirt.

“Yes, would you like to stay with me forever and for Draco and I to raise you?”

“Yes!” Clara chirped hugging Hermione tight. Draco wiped away a tear.

“Well then, Hermione, please raise your hand and repeat after me “I Hermione Jean Granger, agree to care for, love and support Clara Lestrange as her legal guardian. I promise to raise her and am entering this agreement of my own free will”. Hermione repeated the words, tears of joy falling from her eyes.

Kinsley turned to Draco, “Draco Lucius Malfoy, do you as co-gaurdian enter into this agreement of your own free will with the aim of providing support and love in the raising of Clara Lestrange? If so, say, I do”.

Draco looked at Hermione and then Clara before smiling and whispering. “I do. I look forward to helping Hermione Granger raise Clara Lestrange”.

“I hereby pronounce you legal guardians of Ms. Clara Lestrange!” Kingsley declared stamping the scroll and passing it to them. There in the ink were their names with a line to Clara's. They were parents. Forever linked together by the little girl they were both hugging. Clara's smile lit up the manor. All of the dusty corners of the sprawling estate were now shining with light. The future was looking bright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, the last chapter. I'm debating on whether or not to write a one shot epilogue so let me know! Please add a comment and let me know if you liked this! It's my first completed multi-chapter story ever and it was a lot of fun to write. All of your comments and kudos really encouraged me, thank you so much.


End file.
